Should Ravens trade back in the 2024 NFL Draft?

The Baltimore Ravens currently hold the No. 30 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Selecting at the end of night one always brings several options with teams looking to trade back into the first round. Will Baltimore decide to do so?

A couple analysts (NFL.com's Lance Zierlein and Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema) have the Ravens doing exactly that in their latest mock drafts.

In Zierlein's mock draft, he believes Baltimore will make a deal with the Patriots, who decide to select Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. with pick No. 3. New England then trades back into the first round to land its next quarterback in Oregon's Bo Nix.

"We could see the Patriots target the top receiver early on and then jump back into the first round to grab Nix, who had a strong 2023 campaign," Zierlein writes.

Nix, who ranks as PFF's fourth-best quarterback and No. 20 overall prospect on its big board, broke out in 2023, passing for 4,508 yards, 45 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

In Sikkema's mock draft, he thinks it will be the Vikings striking a deal with the Ravens. He has Minnesota sending its 2024 second-round pick and 2025 third-round pick for Baltimore' 2023 first-round pick, which also turns out to be Nix.

"With the Vikings unable to secure a quarterback earlier in the draft, look for them to have their eye on Nix if he happens to fall to the end of the first round," Sikkema writes. "A small trade-up allows them to get a fifth-year option on him, which is paramount, given how much money quarterbacks can command."

Whether or not that is enough draft compensation for the Ravens to move out of the first round is unknown. 

However, Baltimore does find itself in a bit of a difficult position this offseason. The team has 23 unrestricted free agents and just $13.65M in cap space heading into 2024, per PFF.

So, building through the draft seems to be the best option for the Ravens, who will likely lose several key players this offseason. Baltimore potentially turning its first-round pick into multiple picks could be a smart move in the long run.